'They keep getting it wrong!' - Manuel Ugarte brutally told he's 'not a Man Utd midfielder in a million years' as doubts raised over role under Michael Carrick

Ugarte has struggled for form at United this season, making just seven starts in the Premier League, and has yet to live up to his £50 million ($67m) price tag since his move from PSG in the summer of 2024. Ugarte had played for Sporting CP while Ruben Amorim was manager, but the pair were unable to replicate that success in Manchester. Now, with Michael Carrick in interim charge at Old Trafford, Butt, and former United defender Rio Ferdinand, have both taken aim at Ugarte's performances.

Ugarte himself said in September that he was struggling for form, telling reporters:  "We haven't started the season very well. My level wasn't the best either, we have to be realistic and honest.

"But I'm very confident, I have a very good relationship with the coach. I work well and I'm very excited and eager to earn a starting spot.”

I

United legend Butt told The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast: "Ugarte is not a Manchester United midfielder in a million years. Not in a million years he’s a Man United midfielder.

"That’s just one example of the recruitment and how they keep getting it wrong. They keep getting it wrong all the time with the players they’re bringing in and that’s a fact."

Reports suggest that Ugarte could leave the club this month, with Turkish giants Galatasaray considering a loan move that could lead to a €25m transfer. 

Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!

While Butt believes Ugarte is simply not of the standard United need, Ferdinand has urged new boss Carrick to find a way to improve his "disappointing" performances.

The iconic former United defender told Rio Ferdinand Presents: "I've got to be honest, I have been disappointed with Ugarte. He is one player when he came in everybody said he’s got legs, he can tackle, he can move. The description I was getting was he was the right type of player we needed. It just hasn’t materialised, it hasn’t come to the fore. I haven’t seen the player that everybody was talking about before in terms of being able to get up against people quickly and tackle. 

"That’s meant to be a big part of his game, being aggressive. He hasn’t put a marker down in a game that’s made me think 'this guy could be one of our midfield dogs or controllers who is really going to get things going in the midfield'. He hasn’t got anywhere near that."

Ferdinand added: "Can Michael Carrick get any more out of him? That is going to be a big challenge for Michael Carrick: Can he get any more out of these players as individuals to make the team better?

"He’s got to get both of those bits better, the team better and the individual players playing to a high level and get so much more out of them."

Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!

United face Manchester City in a Premier League derby clash this weekend. They then take on league leaders Arsenal in what could be a huge pair of fixtures. The Red Devils are currently seventh in the table, but are just three points behind Liverpool in fourth, such is the compressed nature of the standings in January.